2008 Houston Dynamo season

The 2008 Houston Dynamo season was the third season of the existence for the Houston franchise. The Houston Dynamo were the defending back-to-back MLS Cup Champions, and sought to become the first club in Major League Soccer history to win three straight MLS Cups. It was the team's third season with head coach Dominic Kinnear, majority owner Philip Anschultz, president Oliver Luck, and chief operating officer Chris Canetti.

In the MLS regular season, the Dynamo finished first in the Western Conference to qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive season. In the MLS Cup Playoffs, Houston lost to the New York Red Bulls 4–1 on aggregate in the Conference Semifinals. They were eliminated by the Charleston Battery in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. During the 2008 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Houston defeated C.S.D. Municipal 3–1 on aggregate in the quarterfinals before falling in the semifinals 3–0 to Deportivo Saprissa. During the 2008 North American SuperLiga, the Dynamo reached the final, where they lost 6–5 on penalties to the New England Revolution. The Dynamo also played in the group stage of the 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League during the season, finishing second in their group to advance.

Team news

 * Houston's City Council on January 30, 2008 approved the purchase of over 80 acre of land near State Highway 288 and Almeda-Genoa Rd. for the development of an amateur sports complex—the first of its kind in the history of the city. The new complex will provide 18 fields for local soccer organizations and will also afford the area the opportunity to host amateur tournaments of state, regional and national stature. Once completely developed, the complex is expected to attract well over 500,000 visitors per year.
 * On February 26, 2008 Houston Dynamo President Oliver Luck revealed the planned negotiations to the media stating that the Houston Dynamo would be managed in majority by original owners Anschutz Entertainment Group (who will hold 50% of ownership) along with newfound partners Gabriel Brener, head of Brener International Group, and multiple World and Olympic boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya (each with 25% ownership).

Final roster
Appearances and goals are totals for MLS regular season only.

In
'' Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed. ''

Out
'' Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed. ''

Coaching staff

 * Source

Championship round
After finishing 2nd in group B, the Dynamo qualified for the Championship Round. The fixtures for the Championship Round are included in the Dynamo's 2009 season.

Appearances, goals, and assists
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2" | No. ! rowspan="2" | Pos. ! rowspan="2" | Nat. ! rowspan="2" |Player ! colspan="3" |Total ! colspan="3" |MLS ! colspan="3" |Playoffs ! colspan="3" |U.S. Open Cup ! colspan="3" |Champions Cup ! colspan="3" |SuperLiga ! colspan="3" |Champions League ! App !! G !! A !! App !! G !! A !! App !! G !! A !! App !! G !! A !! App !! G !! A !! App !! G !! A !! App !! G !! A
 * 1||GK||🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿||align=left|Tony Caig||11||0||0||7||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0
 * 2||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Eddie Robinson||29||0||0||20||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||1||0||0||3||0||0
 * 3||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Johnny Alcaraz||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 4||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Patrick Ianni||27||0||1||17||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||3||0||0||5||0||0
 * 5||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Kyle Brown||8||0||0||4||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||2||0||0
 * 6||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Erik Ustruck||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0
 * 7||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Chris Wondolowski||19||2||0||8||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||4||1||0||4||0||0||2||1||0
 * 8||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Richard Mulrooney||33||0||4||23||0||4||2||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||0
 * 9||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Brian Mullan||44||4||8||30||3||5||2||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||1||2||4||0||1
 * 10||FW||🇸🇱||align=left|Kei Kamara||19||6||2||10||2||2||2||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||1||0||5||2||0
 * 10||FW||🇦🇷||align=left|Franco Caraccio ||17||2||2||10||2||1||0||0||0||1||0||1||4||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 11||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Brad Davis||35||3||11||26||3||8||2||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||5||0||3||1||0||0
 * 13||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Ricardo Clark||41||3||1||25||2||1||2||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||0||5||1||0||5||0||0
 * 14||MF||🇨🇦||align=left|Dwayne De Rosario||39||11||5||24||7||2||2||0||0||0||0||0||4||2||0||4||1||2||5||1||1
 * 16||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Craig Waibel||26||2||4||14||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||0||1||4||2||0
 * 17||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Mike Chabala||5||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||3||0||0
 * 18||GK||🇨🇦||align=left|Pat Onstad||38||0||0||24||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||0||0||4||0||0
 * 19||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|John Michael Hayden||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0
 * 20||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Geoff Cameron||36||1||5||23||1||2||1||0||0||1||0||0||2||0||0||5||0||2||4||0||1
 * 21||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Nick Hatzke||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 22||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Stuart Holden||37||7||6||27||3||4||2||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||2||3||0||5||1||1
 * 23||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Stephen Wondolowski||2||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0
 * 24||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Wade Barrett||41||0||1||26||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||0||5||1||0||4||0||0
 * 25||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Brian Ching||35||14||7||25||13||5||2||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||0||5||0||1||4||0||0
 * 26||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Corey Ashe||39||2||4||22||1||1||1||0||0||1||0||0||4||0||1||5||1||0||6||0||2
 * 27||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Nate Jaqua||23||5||4||14||4||4||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||1||0||5||0||0
 * 30||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Corbin Waller||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||43||3||1||29||1||1||2||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||2||0||4||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 16||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Craig Waibel||26||2||4||14||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||0||1||4||2||0
 * 17||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Mike Chabala||5||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||3||0||0
 * 18||GK||🇨🇦||align=left|Pat Onstad||38||0||0||24||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||0||0||4||0||0
 * 19||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|John Michael Hayden||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0
 * 20||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Geoff Cameron||36||1||5||23||1||2||1||0||0||1||0||0||2||0||0||5||0||2||4||0||1
 * 21||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Nick Hatzke||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 22||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Stuart Holden||37||7||6||27||3||4||2||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||2||3||0||5||1||1
 * 23||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Stephen Wondolowski||2||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0
 * 24||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Wade Barrett||41||0||1||26||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||0||5||1||0||4||0||0
 * 25||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Brian Ching||35||14||7||25||13||5||2||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||0||5||0||1||4||0||0
 * 26||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Corey Ashe||39||2||4||22||1||1||1||0||0||1||0||0||4||0||1||5||1||0||6||0||2
 * 27||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Nate Jaqua||23||5||4||14||4||4||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||1||0||5||0||0
 * 30||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Corbin Waller||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||43||3||1||29||1||1||2||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||2||0||4||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 24||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Wade Barrett||41||0||1||26||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||0||5||1||0||4||0||0
 * 25||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Brian Ching||35||14||7||25||13||5||2||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||0||5||0||1||4||0||0
 * 26||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Corey Ashe||39||2||4||22||1||1||1||0||0||1||0||0||4||0||1||5||1||0||6||0||2
 * 27||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Nate Jaqua||23||5||4||14||4||4||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||1||0||5||0||0
 * 30||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Corbin Waller||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||43||3||1||29||1||1||2||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||2||0||4||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 27||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Nate Jaqua||23||5||4||14||4||4||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||1||0||5||0||0
 * 30||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Corbin Waller||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||43||3||1||29||1||1||2||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||2||0||4||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||43||3||1||29||1||1||2||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||5||2||0||4||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0

Disciplinary record
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2" |No. ! rowspan="2" |Pos. ! rowspan="2" |Nat. ! rowspan="2" |Player ! colspan="2" |Total ! colspan="2" |MLS ! colspan="2" |Playoffs ! colspan="2" |U.S. Open Cup ! colspan="2" |Champions Cup ! colspan="2" |SuperLiga ! colspan="3" |Champions League !style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off:
 * 1||GK||🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿||align=left|Tony Caig||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 2||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Eddie Robinson||9||3||6||2||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||1
 * 3||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Johnny Alcaraz||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 4||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Patrick Ianni||3||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0
 * 5||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Kyle Brown||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 6||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Erik Ustruck||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 7||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Chris Wondolowski||3||0||1||0||0||0||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0
 * 8||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Richard Mulrooney||4||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 9||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Brian Mullan||5||0||2||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 10||FW||🇸🇱||align=left|Kei Kamara||2||1||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 10||FW||🇦🇷||align=left|Franco Caraccio ||2||0||1||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 11||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Brad Davis||3||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0
 * 13||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Ricardo Clark||9||0||6||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||2||0||0||0
 * 14||MF||🇨🇦||align=left|Dwayne De Rosario||8||1||6||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||1||1||0
 * 16||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Craig Waibel||2||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 17||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Mike Chabala||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 18||GK||🇨🇦||align=left|Pat Onstad||3||0||2||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 19||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|John Michael Hayden||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 20||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Geoff Cameron||6||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||2||0
 * 21||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Nick Hatzke||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 22||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Stuart Holden||6||0||3||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||2||0
 * 23||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Stephen Wondolowski||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 24||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Wade Barrett||5||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0||0||0
 * 25||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Brian Ching||2||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 26||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Corey Ashe||3||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0
 * 27||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Nate Jaqua||2||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 30||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Corbin Waller||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||8||0||6||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 16||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Craig Waibel||2||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 17||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Mike Chabala||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 18||GK||🇨🇦||align=left|Pat Onstad||3||0||2||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 19||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|John Michael Hayden||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 20||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Geoff Cameron||6||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||2||0
 * 21||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Nick Hatzke||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 22||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Stuart Holden||6||0||3||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||2||0
 * 23||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Stephen Wondolowski||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 24||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Wade Barrett||5||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0||0||0
 * 25||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Brian Ching||2||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 26||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Corey Ashe||3||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0
 * 27||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Nate Jaqua||2||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 30||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Corbin Waller||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||8||0||6||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 24||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Wade Barrett||5||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0||0||0
 * 25||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Brian Ching||2||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 26||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Corey Ashe||3||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0
 * 27||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Nate Jaqua||2||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 30||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Corbin Waller||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||8||0||6||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 27||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Nate Jaqua||2||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 30||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Corbin Waller||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||8||0||6||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Bobby Boswell||8||0||6||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 99||FW||🇨🇮||align=left|Guy-Roland Kpene||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0

Clean sheets
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" !Rank!!Nat.!!Player!!MLS!!Playoffs!!U.S. Open Cup!!Champions Cup!!SuperLiga!!Champions League!!Total !13 !3 ! colspan="3" |Total!!10!!0!!0!!2!!2!!2!!16
 * 1||🇨🇦||Pat Onstad||7||0||0||2||2||2
 * 1||🇨🇦||Pat Onstad||7||0||0||2||2||2
 * 2||🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿||Tony Caig||3||0||0||0||0||0
 * 2||🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿||Tony Caig||3||0||0||0||0||0

Kits
Supplier: Adidas / Sponsor: Amigo Energy